| Summary: | Natural enemies play an important role in managing insect pests. <i>Orius sauteri</i> (Poppius) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), a predator of many soft-body insects, is an important biological control agent in Asia. Understanding this predator’s egg-laying preferences and a habitat needs is important for its success in pest control. We investigated the plant acceptability and ovipositional preference of <i>O. sauteri</i> for coriander (<i>Coriadrum sativum</i> L., Apiales: Apiaceae), marigold (<i>Tagetes erecta</i> L., Asterales: Asteraceae), sweet alyssum (<i>Lobularia maritima</i> L., Brassicales: Brassicaceae), and alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L., Fabales: Fabaceae), and focused on the effects of plant physical and anatomical characteristics on the ovipositional preference of <i>O. sauteri</i>. The results showed that <i>O. sauteri</i> can lay eggs on uninfested plants in the vegetative stage and their eggs hatched normally. <i>Orius sauteri</i> females prefer plants with high stomatal density, a large stomatal area, and fewer trichomes as oviposition hosts, and the depth of egg placement was determined by leaf thickness. Our studies suggested that <i>O. sauteri</i> females can select oviposition hosts and specific oviposition sites by assessing the structural qualities of plant surface. Coriander and marigold are potentially suitable host plants for <i>O.sauteri.</i> The results aid the selection of cover crops to enhance natural enemies in the fields.
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